The Merchant’s House Trust is embarking on further meticulous conservation work on interior of the house built in Marlborough’s High Street by silk merchant Thomas Bayly after the disastrous fire that destroyed much of the town in 1653.
The Trust was set up to restore and refurbish the house back to its 17th century state – preserving original features and, where possible, using 17th century techniques and materials.
The latest phase of this work brings the restoration programme to the second floor front bedchamber.
Many DIY ‘experts’ stripping wallpaper off an internal wall in a nineteenth century or early twentieth century house will have found intriguing pencilled drawings, dates and initials or even bits of old newspaper glued to the old plaster. What was discovered on the walls of this bedchamber was of a different order altogether.
Initial work on the room revealed remnants of seventeenth century wall decoration.
There were two areas of wall painting – one with a floral design is dated to about 1656, the other with vertical stripes and arched bands is dated to about 1670. Such remains of room decoration in a domestic home from this era are very rare indeed.
The Merchant’s House was let for a peppercorn rent by the Town Council to the Trust on a seven year lease that runs to March 2019. The peppercorn rent ceremony will be held in the Town Hall next April as part of the celebrations to mark the Trust’s 25th anniversary.
At the end of last month the Marlborough Area Board awarded the Trust a grant of £5,000 towards the cost of the conservation phase of this project – to reveal more of this decoration in the bedchamber, carry out repairs to the walls and then to conserve the painted decoration. It is work that requires the attention of a very experienced professional paint conservator.
The full cost of this phase of the work will be £17,000. The Trust has received a grant of £10,000 from the Worshipful Company of Mercers. They are the premier livery company of the City of London and used to be the trade association for general merchants – including, of course, silk merchants.
The funding also includes a £1,000 grant from the Alan Evans Memorial Trust and £1,000 from the Trust’s own funds. The full cost of restoring this room will be about £50,000 and the Trust have earmarked £20,000 of its own reserves towards this major project.
The Merchant’s House provides a wonderful glimpse into seventeenth century domestic life. The Trust runs a ‘Hands on History’ educational programme for local schools at reception, primary and secondary levels with tailored visits for specific curriculum topics.
In addition the Merchant’s House is an important part of Marlborough’s offering to tourists – an offering that has been severely limited by the ‘great fire’ of 1653. That fire destroyed the Guildhall, the County Armoury and about 250 houses – but it did allow the High Street to be widened.
The House and Garden are open from 3rd April to 31st October 2015 on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays with timed tours at 10.30am, 12noon, 1.30pm and 3.00pm (tour by informed guide takes approx 1 hour 30 minutes).
Groups may visit by prior arrangement at other times – please telephone 01672-511491. Charges – Adults £7.50, Children £1.00p. Friends of the Trust – free.
Individuals may visit by prior arrangement at other times if a guide is available – please telephone 01672-511491 or 01672-511690
[Interior photos courtesy The Merchant’s House Trust – and are their copyright. Click on photos to enlarge them.]
